The Single Life
by Southside
Summary: Having enough of being single, Donna and Jackie seek out their lost loves.. Fluff and future fic


Author's Note: This is my first angsty, future fic. So, be kind.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so don't sue me!

It was another rainy afternoon in Chicago. The city was filled with people huddled beneath umbrellas, scurrying about trying to find shelter. It seemed so dark, gray, and uninviting. Rainy days always led to major traffic jams, which led to angry people beeping their horns.

Jackie watched the madness from her apartment window. She sighed. 'I'm going to join them' she thought. It wasn't something that she was looking forward to. She had to move some of her things over to Donna's apartment. Jackie was moving in with her temporarily as her own apartment was redecorated. Jackie thought she could take it, but the fumes from the paint made her gag.

She took a sip of her coffee and took one last look at the view. She packed the remainder of her belongings into the suitcase. It was nice of Donna to take Jackie in, and all of her possessions, into her already cramped apartment. But, they were friends. Best friends for that matter.

How did they survive all these years? Neither one of them knew. Of course, it required a lot of effort on both of their parts. They did drift away briefly during the college years, since they didn't attend the same one. But, about 6 years ago, Donna got a call from Jackie. She wanted to have dinner to catch up on a few things. After that, both girls decided that they should renew their friendship, and they went off to Chicago to start their careers together.

Donna, of course, became a columnist. People would write to her about their problems with love, and she would give them advice. She found it funny that she could solve other people's problems while her's left her stumped. Also, she wrote for a magazine that paid her by the word.

Jackie's fondness of detail led her to a career as a wedding planner. She was precise perfectionist, and bossy. She was perfect for the job. Jackie was very good at her work. It was rumored that she might make partner at her company. That means more money in her pocket, which made her very happy.

Both women were smart and independent. They also were single.

* * *

Jackie gathered all her bags and headed towards Donna's. When she arrived, Donna was busy typing on her computer. "Hey, I'm home," Jackie called out, dropping the keys on the table.

"Don't get too comfortable," Donna warned her. "Once your apartment is done, you're out of here. You better take all your crap with you."

Donna's whole apartment was filled with boxes and bags of Jackie's stuff. "Its' really not that much," Jackie corrected her. "I left some stuff at home."

"You have _more_ things? Good god!"

"Shut up, Donna. Besides, you should be happy because today's your birthday," she replied, tossing a box of chocolates onto her lap.

Donna shook her head. "I'm not celebrating my birthday this year. I don't want to be 30."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want to stay 29. I don't want to be old. 30 just sounds so… old."

"Okay," Jackie said. "So, how should we celebrate your 29th birthday, the sequel?"

Donna laughed. "I don't know about you, but I have a date with this baby." She grabbed the bottle of Kahlua.

"Ah, alcohol. The solution to all our problems," Jackie replied, getting the shot glasses.

* * *

After an hour, both girls were slightly drunk. They were sitting on the floor, against the couch, a shot glass in each of their hands. They were joking around and just having a few laughs. Then, Jackie grew quiet.

"What is it?" Donna asked.

"Is this how you pictured life?" Jackie asked, sullenly.

Donna looked down at the floor. "No. I thought I'd be married and living in a suburb somewhere." Her eyes began to water. "I thought Eric would be with me."

"I thought so too," she replied, as she got up to lie on the couch. "I thought I would be a rich and famous model/actress. Everyone would love me and I was happy. Boy, was I wrong!"

"Don't do that, Jackie," Donna snapped. "You and I have great careers and a great life. Just because we're single doesn't mean it's the end of the world."

"I know. I just miss having a man. Don't you miss Eric?" Donna grew quiet. She was hiding something. "What happened Donna?"

"I talked to Eric," she answered simply.

Jackie plopped up on her elbows, suddenly very interested. "Details woman, details!"

A huge grin appeared on the redhead's face. "Well, you know that I went to visit my dad about a month ago, right? So, I went to his house and I decided to go visit Kitty and Red. Well, he was there."

"So, what did you say to him?"

"It was a little weird at first, but then we just started talking and it was just like old times. It was so… nice to talk to him. I really missed him."

"Oh, Donna!" Jackie exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Is he seeing anybody?"

"He said he was on and off with this one girl. He said it wasn't serious." Donna paused for a moment. "He told me that he missed me."

"Donna, give him a call. You know you still love him."

"I can't go back to that. It didn't work out the first time."

Donna and Eric's engagement lasted through senior year. When college started, they broke it off. Well, Donna broke it off. After a fight about delaying the wedding so she could work on her career, they decided to call it quits. They tried to get back together, but they knew it wasn't the same anymore. Donna left UW and transferred to Marquette. The awkwardness was too much for her.

"Donna, you and Eric still have a chance."

"I don't know. Besides, I can't reach him. He's not home. He went to visit Hyde and…" Donna stopped right there when she noticed Jackie tense up. Realizing her mistake, she tried to change the subject. "So, you want to bake some cookies?"

"Don't worry, Donna. You can mention his name. I don't care," she said, unconvincingly. Her relationship with Hyde ended in college too. They just seemed to drift away. They gave up on their relationship. She thought she could handle gong to the same college as him, but after seeing him with another girl under his arm, she decided to transfer to the University of Illinois. She made no effort to contact him after that.

"So, you're over him?"

The pixie shook her head. "I thought I was. But, when I was cleaning out my closet last week, I stumbled onto this box. It had all of my high school stuff. Yearbooks, trophies, pictures, the works. Then, I found this Led Zeppelin T-shirt that Steven had gotten me for my birthday. All the memories just flooded back to me."

"You kept that shirt after all these years?"

Jackie nodded. She thought back to when she first found it in the box. She picked it up and sniffed it. She could have sworn it still held his scent. "I also found some of his letters."

"Wait," Donna chuckled, "Hyde use to write you love letters?"

"Yeah, they weren't the most romantic letters in the world. But, it was the thought that counts."

"You know, Eric told me that Hyde was thinking about moving into the city," Donna hinted.

"Donna, don't even get that lumberjack mind of yours started. It's over."

"It's not over until the fat lady sings."

"Well then start singing," Jackie teased. Donna threw a pillow at her.

* * *

The next morning, both women were trying to get over a hang over. Jackie decided to take some aspirin and spend the day lying on the couch. Donna, on the other hand, had a deadline. She quickly combed her short, red hair and got her pen and paper ready.

"I'm going to work on my column and get some coffee," she informed her friend. "Thank god for Starbucks."

"All right, I'll see you later," Jackie called out to her. Donna exited the apartment. Jackie was now left alone with her thoughts.

She peeled herself off the couch and walked over to the box that contained her photo album. She picked it up and started flipping through it. She found the picture that she was looking for. It was a picture of her and Hyde in the Hub. She was on his lap and he had his strong arms around her. Jackie ran her fingertips up and down the picture. Oh, how much she missed him!

Jackie missed the way he use to kiss her, gently grabbing her face and pulling it closer to his. His lips were always so soft, and his kisses so passionate. She missed the way he use to make love to her. Sometimes it was gentle and romantic. Other times, it was wild and hard, when their lust for each other needed satisfaction. But, after every time that they'd have sex, he would always gather her in his arms, kiss her forehead, and let her fall asleep in his embrace.

Jackie shook her head. She always did this, especially after every bad date. She shouldn't do this to herself again. It was over. Or was it?

I mean, she had encouraged Donna to patch things up with Eric. Why shouldn't she take her own advice? ' Do I still love him?' she thought. 

"Oh my god. Yes I do!" she said out loud. That was it. That is what was missing from her life, Steven Hyde. It had been so long since she talked to him but she believed they would work it out. It had to. They were meant for each other. He told her that he had never loved anyone as much as he loved her. She believed him.

No other man compared to him. All of her boyfriends were no match against her Steven. She had never loved anyone the way she loved him. She knew she never would.

So, it was official. She was going to patch things up between her and Hyde. She would talk to Donna and ask her if she had his number. A huge grin appeared on Jackie's face. She had never felt so happy or excited in a long time. She was going to be reacquainted with her lost love.

"Man, I need a Cosmo," Jackie said. She headed downstairs to Donna's mailbox. To her dismay, there was no Cosmo. Just a few bills and letters. She took up the mail anyway.

When she got back to the apartment, she looked through her friend's mail. Bills, bills, bills. Then, she found a letter. It was from Kitty. Curiosity got the best of Jackie. She ripped open the letter and read it.

Her face crumbled. She covered her mouth with her hand and began to cry. She began to cry hysterically. She sank down to the kitchen floor, sensing that her legs might give out. She felt as if someone had pierced her heart, shattering all her dreams. She had never felt so horrible.

Just then, Donna walked in. She spotted her friend on the kitchen floor, crying her eyes out. She quickly rushed over to her. "Jackie, what's wrong?"

She couldn't answer her. Jackie pushed Donna's arm away. She got up from the floor and ran out of the apartment, still in tears. "What the hell is wrong with her?" Donna caught sight of the letter on the floor. She picked it up and read it. She was completely taken back from it. Now she understood why Jackie was so upset.

The letter contained an invitation… to Hyde's wedding.

* * * * *

Ah, angst. I hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you thought of it. 


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